4 McLaren Vale locals share their stories

Any bon vivant will tell you there are worse things than being eternally linked to some of the world’s best shiraz and grenache. It isn’t so bad to have a reputation firmly cemented as one of Australia’s best food destinations, either. But what do you do if you have so much more to offer than your two most commonly celebrated assets? 

Located a 40-minute drive south of Adelaide/Tarntanya, where a tapestry of vineyards and cellar doors (more than 80 of them) tumble towards the rugged coastline, McLaren Vale has it all. Home to one of South Australia’s most accessible wine regions—as well as 30 kilometres of spectacular beaches—visitors can cycle its trails, tackle a hike, embrace its vineyards and enjoy a slice of Italy in between, all in one day. But what does it mean to live or work in this corner of the globe? Four McLaren Vale locals share their stories.

Corrina Wright

Hailing from six generations of McLaren Vale winegrowers, Corrina Wright, director of Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards, is the family’s first winemaker.

Corrina: It’s probably no great surprise I ended up devoting myself to the McLaren Vale wine industry; it’s in my blood. Having made the move from what I call the bustling wine metropolis of Scotland in 1838, my family bought the land that Oliver’s Taranga now sits on sight unseen. They were originally subsistence farmers who also planted vines; over the generations, this whittled down to growing grapes. After I convinced my family to give me some grapes to make our first wine in 1994, the wine side of the business was launched. We’re about to kick off our 30th vintage celebrations.

I learnt early on that when it comes to McLaren Vale, the grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s just different grass. Like all kids growing up in a rural or regional area, I went away to study, travel and live elsewhere but eventually I began to yearn for home. It makes sense—McLaren Vale is a fantastic wine region with incredible restaurants but it’s also close to the sea and only 40 minutes to the city. We have our share of problems—local taxi services can be hit and miss, and it would be great to have a couple of high-end hotels here so we can host large groups in the region. 

“I convinced my family to give me some grapes to make our first wine in 1994.” - Corrina Wright

The wine business can be tricky at times. Not only do I run Oliver’s Taranga with my cousins Brioni and Sam Oliver, we have our Oliver & Press Winemakers contract processing wine business and my husband, Dan, and I also own and operate a separate vineyard as well as Swell Brewing Co., a craft beer brand. When you run four businesses, it’s important to have a team who understand the cash-flow implications of what you do—particularly when it comes to red wine where you end up with capital tied up in stock that stays in barrels for years before you can see a return. Of course, when you’re working for a family business, they need to be across succession planning, too. We’re already seeing interest from the next generation but you never know what will happen.

Tony Mitolo

From touring the world as a NYC-based drummer to creating a South Australian hospitality empire, Tony Mitolo has a colourful tree-change story.

Tony: I was living in New York City when I felt the pull of home. I had spent years touring with Empire of the Sun, Sneaky Sound System and Pnau and as I got older, it became more unbearable to know that I was missing these great family events where everyone would get together and crush tomatoes or make salami. After my father and I bought a small vineyard in McLaren Vale and I spent a few solid years in New York, eating pizza and drinking wine, I had to ask myself: ‘Well, either Empire of the Sun is going to be as big as AC/DC or you’re going to wind up doing cabaret on a cruise ship. What's it going to be?’ I returned home soon after. 

“I’m less interested in how my ventures look than I am about how the space makes people feel.” - Tony Mitolo 

Adjusting to life in McLaren Vale after New York City was interesting. I couldn’t get over how dark and star-dotted the sky was and how deafeningly quiet everything felt after years of sirens and screaming. I adjusted pretty quickly though—I bought a woodfire oven from Naples long before we had a restaurant and within a year, my father, mate Tim Anderson and I opened Pizzateca, which is all about embracing my family’s Italian heritage and my Australian roots and delivering what I call an ‘Oztalian’ flavour to the area. Cucina Di Strada, Madre [now closed], One Sneaky Cheetah and Gelateca followed, as did Oztalia, our range of homemade produce, including chilli honey, sugo, limoncello and a range of Italian and Australian varieties of wine. I’m less interested in how my ventures look than I am about how the space makes people feel. 

The McLaren Vale food scene has broadened exponentially over the past decade; we still have classic fine-dining experiences and cellar-door platters, but we also have multicultural options, casual diners and restaurateurs trying to do something different. My wife, Suzanne, and I work on our businesses together and we’re thrilled to be able to contribute but with a two-year-old daughter and a baby, we never forget that behind everything we do, it’s all about family.

Adam McArthur

As relationship executive of regional and agricultural banking at CommBank, Adam McArthur is the first to admit he has the ultimate home office.

Adam: I grew up near the Adelaide Hills but there isn’t a day where I would say I’m tired of seeing the landscape around McLaren Vale—nor driving these roads. As relationship executive at CommBank, a significant part of my role sees me driving out from our hub in Mount Barker to visit clients—many of whom work within the wine business. I’m there to catch up on what they're doing, discuss their business needs and, now more than ever, educate them on the latest scams doing the rounds—but it’s easy putting in a hard day’s work in one of the most picturesque corners of the globe. 

“Everyone seems to know one another and they’re always keen to pitch in and help.” - Adam McArthur

Local businesses haven’t had the easiest run since China shut the door to our wine markets during the COVID years. Some had to pivot to direct-to-consumer markets, others shifted focus to other overseas markets, and everyone felt the impact from a tourism point of view. Fortunately, things have improved on that front but now our clients require more working capital support. We’re always on hand to assist, as is the well-networked McLaren Vale community. Everyone seems to know one another and they’re always keen to pitch in and help their neighbours, which is wonderful to see. 

Although McLaren Vale is probably most celebrated for its wineries, one of my favourite things to do—outside of visiting a winery, of course—is to hit the local beaches, especially Port Willunga, or go to an event. We have plenty of small-scale music festivals that attract high-profile artists so I always keep my eyes peeled for upcoming concerts and events. A weekend where I can do both and dine at one of the top restaurants in the area? Absolutely perfect.

Richard Bennett

Serving the best of the region’s produce is all in a day’s work for Richard Bennett, market manager of Willunga Farmer’s Market.

Richard: I was 15 when my father decided to buy a dairy farm in the hills around McLaren Vale. Moving here in 1974, when the area was still a country town, was a shock—probably not quite as much of a shock as working with animals, which we knew next to nothing about at the time. Dairying was hard work but we grew to love the life and over the years I’ve worked in various industries, including forestry and farming, raised four daughters with my wife and now we’ve got five grandchildren. It doesn’t get much better than that. 

Locals were unsure of the farmer’s market when it opened in 2002 but my wife and I loved to shop there from the get-go. My journey started a few years after the market opened, when I ran a stall selling the garlic I grew with my father. But in 2017, I took on an operations role, becoming manager last year. As South Australia’s largest regional weekly market, our goal is to sell fresh produce from across the Fleurieu Peninsula. The market is the heart of the community and I take great pride in working with our 80 or so growers. 

“Working together to overcome potential issues is what brings our community together.” - Richard Bennett

There are challenges to living off the land in McLaren Vale—climate change may mean that an unusual warm spell will see things flower earlier than they should or a cold snap will do the opposite. That said, working together to overcome potential issues is what brings our community together. We aim to have two barbecues a year when stallholders can get together in a social setting and—despite our proximity to Adelaide—we’ve worked to retain our agricultural roots. And the Character Preservation Act stops urban sprawl and helps us retain what’s truly special about the area.

Related articles

• Why Orange NSW is becoming a magnet for tree changers
• Three SME owners share their strategies for dealing with rising prices
• How to save money with a vegetable garden